One good Reason to Stay
by misty23y
Summary: Things are great with Joe and Stephanie, and Joe is ready to make his move. Ranger finishes his last mission and his government contract is over. He's ready to claim his Babe. This is what could happen if both Joe and Ranger decided to man up and propose to Steph. Stephanie HEA. No Cupcakes or Babes hurt.
1. Perfect

**Joe, Stephanie, Ranger and friends belong to JE. "Perfect" belongs to Ed Sheeran. Mistakes are mine.**

 **Perfect**

 **Joe's POV**

Tonight is the night. Tonight I'm going to make Stephanie Michelle Plum my fiance. I loved her, and have loved her since we were children. Tonight is Senator Juniak's big fundraising ball for the TPD. Everyone who's someone will be there tonight. I'm going to propose when they play 'Perfect" by Ed Sheeran. The song perfectly represents my love for Stephanie. We have been dating for the last six months and it's been great. Ranger has been in the wind, which is part of the reason why Cupcake and I are doing so great. He's not around to poach and steal kisses from her.

I pick Stephanie up at her apartment. She is wearing a red, one shoulder dress that hugs her body from her toned shoulders, to her beautiful breasts, over her lovely hips and ass, and ends at the ankles with a slit that ends about four inches from the promise land. My God, she's gorgeous. She has on four-inch FMPs, which brings her height one inch below mine. Her crazy curls are contained in a beautiful, sophisticated twist. Her makeup is minimal, but it looks amazing on her.

We arrive at the fundraiser at Juniak's estate. I see that Rangeman is doing the security. I look and don't see Manoso. Thank God. Cocktails and dinner seem to take forever, followed by the boring speeches. Finally, it's time for dancing. I go to the band to request my song so I can propose to my Cupcake. A few minutes later, I hear the song start. I take my Cupcake's hand and lead her to the center of the dance floor. I tell her to listen to the lyrics while we dance together.

"The first time that I heard this song I thought of you. The lyrics express home I feel about you, Stephanie." I tell the love of my life.

"Joe, what are you try to say to me?" Stephanie asks, while looking around the room, her eyes searching for something or someone.

"Cupcake, I'm trying to tell you that I love you and that I want you to be my wife. I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side." I respond as we continue to dance.

As the song ends, I go down one knee, taking the 1 ½ carat solitaire set in platinum out of my pocket while saying, "Stephanie Michelle Plum, I love you; I have loved you for years. I want to be your husband and your provider. I want to be the father of your children. Cupcake, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife, of becoming Mrs. Stephanie Morelli?"

Stephanie is holding my hands, with tears in her eyes. She briefly looks up and freezes. I turn my head, afraid at who I'm going to see. Of course, Manoso is here. He looks at Stephane with that damn blank face on, staring into her eyes. Suddenly, Stephanie lets go of my hands and says, "Joe, I need a few minute to think this over. I wasn't expecting this tonight. Please give me five minutes." She turns and walks outside to the garden. I slowly get up, and follow her outside.


	2. Milion Reasons

**Joe, Stephanie, Ranger and friends belong to JE. "Million Reasons" belongs to Lady Gaga". Mistakes belong to me.**

 **Million Reasons**

 **Stephanie's POV**

I cannot believe that Joe just proposed to me in front of the Burg, in front of Rangeman, in front of Ranger. Ranger. I haven't seen him is months. I wonder when he got back. As much as Joe and I are in a good place right now, I know it won't last. He's been getting on my nerves lately. I walk into the garden to the wall that surrounds the patio. I place my hands on the wall and look out into the night. I hear someone approach me.

"Cupcake, what's wrong? I thought we were in a good place. Why won't you marry me?"

I hear "Million Reasons" by Lady Gaga. I know that this is the perfect song to express myself to Joe. I turn around to look him in the eyes. "Listen to the lyrics, Joe."

"Every time you yell at me and put me down after something goes wrong hurts our relationship." I tell Joe.

"Every time I find out that you spend time with Terry Gilman you break my trust."

"We can't keep on doing this cycle of being on and then off. It's not a healthy relationship, Joe."

"You have sent me so many mix messages that I don't even know if you are sincere about wanting me, or wanting the me that will conform to Burg standards."

"Cupcake, I love you. I've loved you since we were six. Please marry me." Joe pleads with me."

"Give me one good reason, Joe." I demand.

"I love you, Cupcake."

"That's not a good enough reason. Give me one good reason to stay, to say yes."

"Stephanie, you are a Burg girl through and through and you will make the perfect Burg wife for me."

"Wrong reason, Joe. I'm sorry, but I can't marry you."


	3. What About Love

**Joe, Stephanie, Ranger and friends belong to JE. "What About Love" belongs to Heart. All mistakes belong to me.**

 **What About Love**

 **Stephanie's POV**

I enter back into the house where I immediately walk into Ranger. As if on cue, the band starts playing "What About Love". This is my song for Ranger. I take his hand while leading him to an isolated corner of the room. "Ranger, listen to the lyrics."

"Ranger, I love you. I've been in love with you for a long time, but you don't let me in." I tell Ranger.

"Why do you always wear a blank face? Why can't you let me see your heart?" I ask.

"Stephanie, Babe, I need you everyday."

"But your life doesn't lend itself to relationships. You love comes with a condom not a ring. I'm a line on your budget under entertainment. You'd get me pregnant if I wanted. What does it all mean? Is there love there?"

"Ranger, why won't you share your heart with me?" I ask him, while trying to keep my tears at bay.


	4. Superman Tonight

**Joe, Stephanie, Ranger and friends belong to JE. "Superman Tonight" belongs to Bon Jovi (and my celebrity crush Jon Bon Jovi). All mistakes belong to me.**

 **Superman Tonight**

 **Ranger's POV**

I finally returned from my last mission to find that Morelli and Stephanie have been dating exclusively. Rumor is that Joe is ready to propose. I can't let that happen. I have to let my Babe know that I love her, that I want her, that I need her. She is my light, my love, and my life. I can't live without her. I can't go to her tonight because we are working security at Senator Juniak's annual TPD fundraiser. My Merry Men, as Babe calls them, and I arrive at his home two hours before to set up everything. I finally get to look at the guest list. Morelli will be attending with my Babe. Fuck. I need to find a way to let her know that our someday has arrived. My contract is over and I'm finally free, free to give her whatever she wants out of life. If that means marriage and children, then I'm there. If she wants a relationship without a ring or children, I'm game too. As long as she's mine, that's all I need.

The time has arrived for dancing. I spoke to the band and they will play a song for me. When it plays, I'll ask my Babe to dance. There are enough guys here tonight that I can have a few moments with my Babe. Suddenly, I hear "Perfect" by some guy being performed. I see Joe bringing my Babe into the center of the dance floor. NO! I hope what I think is happening isn't. I watch them dance together, my heart breaking piece by piece as I see Joe talking to her. From the look in his eyes, he's moments away from proposing. Now, I see Stephanie searching, looking around the room. She's looking for me. I work my way around the room so that I'm standing in her line of sight. Our eyes meet just after the cop proposes. I see Steph break away from Morelli and run out to the garden. I watch Morelli follow and decide to observe them in the shadows. I hear them talk, Babe tells him to listen to the lyrics of Million Reasons. It seems the cop didn't give Babe a good reason. She's hurrying back inside, where she immediately bumps into me.

"Babe," I say. She turns around and falls into my arms.

"When did you return?"

"Tonight."

We hear a new song start to play. Babe recognizes it and orders me to listen to the lyrics. My heart swells throughout when I realize that my Babe loves me. We can have our someday. When her song is over, the song that I requested for her is performed. "Babe, please listen to this song for me. I think you'll understand how I feel when it's over." The song I requested is "Superman Tonight" by Bon Jovi. I know she calls me Batman, but there is no song that I know that has Batman in it's title or lyrics.

"Babe, mi amor, mi vida, mi luz. Te quiero siempre. Please tell me you didn't accept Morelli's proposal. I don't think I can go on without you." I whisper in her ear. (my love, my life, my light. I love you forever)

"Ranger, I can't do this. I can't deal with you going in the wind, never knowing when or if you are going to return. Everytime you leave, my heart breaks a little bit. With Joe, I know that he'll always be here for me. I won't be left alone." Stephanie tells me. She sinks closer into my body as I hold onto her tighter.

"Babe, don't push me away. I want our someday to start tonight. Stephanie, my contract is over. I'll never have to go in the wind again. If I need to leave town for business, you will be coming with me. I never want to go to sleep without you in my arms ever again. I want to wake up next to you every night. Babe, I love you."

"But Ranger, you're Batman, not Superman. Give me one reason to stay with you, to say yes to you."

"I'm Carlos Manoso, and I love you, Babe. I want to protect you for the rest of your life, querida." (darling)

I pull away from her. I go down on one knee, taking out a five carat round diamond with one 2 ½ carat pear-shaped sapphire on each side. "Babe, will you marry me? Please, querida, don't leave me. I love you. I want you to fly, I want you to live your dreams. If that means a house, a dog, and 2.5 kids, then I'll give that to you. If it means that you want to continue to chase skips or work, then I'll support you that way as well. I just want to be able to hold you in my arms every night and wake up with you wrapped around me every morning. I want to spoil you, I want to give you everything your heart desires. I love you, Stephanie Michelle Plum, from your crazy, wild, beautiful curly hair to the end of your long, luscious, legs. You are mine, Babe."

She looks down at me before she slowly kneels down to be eye to eye with me. "You are my Batman. I love you, and yes, I will marry you." She wraps her arms around me before kissing me senseless.

"Cupcake?"

Stephanie pulls away and looks at Joe. "I'm sorry, Joe, but Ranger gave me one good reason to stay."

Joe storms out of the house while I resume kissing my fiance.


End file.
